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Oaks - Colliery Explosion, 12th December, 1866 - Emails Page 1
Two explosions killed 384 men and boys - The Disaster

Jenny Holmes - Our great granddad, Edward Musgrave, was in the Oaks Disaster in 1866 at Barnsley
Janet Town - My 3 X G Grandfather Charles Clegg Is Missing From The List Of Those Who Died
Stephen Moore - Missing Miner, William Shaw, Oaks Colliery Deaths 12/13 Dec 1866
Peter Steer - The Oaks Explosion Seems To Be Now Almost Unknown In Barnsley
Faith Greenhalgh - The Oaks Pit - This Bible Was a Gift From The Oaks Colliery Relief Fund
Steve Barker - The Oaks Pit
John Lindley - Rufford, Sherwood & Welbeck Brick Yards in the 40s early 50s
Peter Lindley - Oaks Mining Disaster, December 1866

Emails   1     2     3     4     5  

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 In MemoryJenny Holmes
13 February 2012
Our great granddad, Edward Musgrave, was in the Oaks Disaster in 1866 at Barnsley
We have only found in the last two years, since becoming interested in family history, that our great granddad, Edward Musgrave, was in the Oaks Disaster in 1866 at Barnsley.  He was in fact one of the workers who were never found and, in effect, is still down there. 

Jenny Holmes

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 In MemoryJanet Town
6 December 2010
My 3 X G Grandfather Charles Clegg Is Missing From The List Of Those Who Died
Hi there,

My 3 x G Grandfather Charles Clegg is missing from the list of those who died.  His son John is correctly listed. 

He is also in a list published in a book my parents have - I think the book is simply called Mining Disasters, but as I am in Australia and they are home in Yorkshire, I can't just dig it out and have a look.  Anyway, the dead are listed here under their different home locations - the Cleggs are under Hoyle Mill - 

Thanks for remembering. 

Janet Town

Rectified the omission now Janet

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 In MemoryStephen Moore
8 November 2010
Missing Miner, William Shaw, Oaks Colliery Deaths 12/13 Dec 1866
I just received a certified copy of an entry of death in the sub-district of Barnsley which refers to a miner who is not listed among the fatalities on your web site. Here is the information from:-

GRO Vol 09c page 130: NO. 219
Died: Thirteenth December 1866 Oaks Colliery Ardsley, William Shaw, Male, 39 years, Coal miner, died of injuries from an explosion of fire damp whilst endeavoring to rescue the suffers and survivors from an explosion on the previous day. Signed: J.O. Carr, Clerk to the Oaks Colliery, Worsbrough Dale, Barnsley. Registered eighteenth March 1867.

William Shaw was my great, great grandfather and I would appreciate it if you would add his name to the list of victims.

Stephen Moore
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 Peter Steer
06 July 2010
The Oaks Explosion Seems To Be Now Almost Unknown In Barnsley
I worked down Barnsley Main Colliery from 1958-62 as an Apprentice Fitter and returned later as Assistant Engineer.

One of the old Oaks Shafts was still open - used as a pumping shaft and I went down the shaft in a kibble to check the pump in my early days as an apprentice.

I am very interested in the Oaks Explosion which seems to be now almost unknown in Barnsley. Most people think that the memorial at the top of what was Barnsley Road, now Doncaster Road, is to the people lost in the explosion whereas it is in memory of the rescuers.

Barnsley schools should teach this local history and the bravery of these men. When I was at school in Barnsley, long time ago !! There was no mention of the heroics acts which took place in our town.
I have a copy of the Barnsley Chronicle from that fateful day and one from later which lists the contributions made from all over the country to a fund set up to support widows and children.

The people received a pittance and when the fund was wound up I believe a large sum went to the government

Queen Victoria sent condolences to the owners of the mine for the loss of their mine !!

Regards - Peter Steer. 
Barnsley lad now living in Poole.
Dorset.

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 In MemorySteve Barker
15 Nov 2009
The Oaks Pit
Hi Fionn,
I have just found your interesting webpage and your information about the Oaks Pit disaster; you may be interested in my family connection with it.

I edit a Newsletter for the Barker family and wrote an article about the 'Barker Dead in the Oaks', told from their perspective. I attach that and a list of the Barker Dead.

I hope you do find it of interest. All those who died have a story to tell.

Regards

Steve Barker

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 John Lindley
5 May 2009
Oaks Colliery Disaster
Hello
Could you please help, I am trying to find out the names of the Men & Boys who were killed in the Oaks Colliery disaster in 1866.

Could please help as I am trying to trace /find out if one of my ancestors was killed in the disaster.

Many thanks

Regards John Lindley
John Lindley

www.lindleyancestry.co.uk
This site has been compiled by John Lindley and traces the History and ancestry of the Lindley's from Castleford to Conisbrough from the early 1600's to the 1900's.

From:
Sent:
Subject:
 Peter Lindley
04 December 2007
Oaks Mining Disaster, December 1866
Great website, forgive me if I’ve got this wrong but I don’t see the Oaks Mining Disaster, Barnsley 12/13th December 1866 on your list.

I’m from a mining family, my father and all of his brothers, my Grandfather and my brother all worked all of their lives in mining mostly at North Gawber Colliery near Barnsley. I retired from my career working in mental health services last year to do an MA in Scriptwriting and as soon as I’ve finished the course – in the New Year – I’m planning to work on something that includes mining and it’s been at the back of my mind for a long time that the Oaks disaster would make a great story plus it would help to keep the memory alive.

You might be interested in having a look at the following link. It’s a great little article about coal-mining and film.

All the best
Peter Lindley
Sorted, thank you Peter